BY LIZZIE DEADRICK

Admit it: you have, alone in your car or secretly in the shower, belted out “Rolling in the Deep” or cried to “Someone Like You.” But it’s okay, don’t be embarrassed. You’re one in 18 million. Because last year, Adele, the sassy Brit with the huge voice, sold about that many records. Her album, 21, has spent 20 weeks at Number 1 on the US pop charts.  A few weeks ago, she went home with six Grammys, winning every single one of her categories. She is a phenomenon.

“I feel like Adele has revolutionized my life,” says senior and long-time Adele fan Karin Long. “She has that sad song that everyone needs to hear.”

It’s not just us moody teenage girls who love her though; her appeal is universal. Senior Bryan Routt, who generally sticks with dance and electronic music, was somewhat surprised when found himself listening to, and actually enjoying, Adele’s songs.

“She has a strong voice. I usually don’t like that kind of music but she surprised me I guess,” says Routt. “Even my dad likes her music.”

But her immense success and wide fan base begs the question: why? After all, she just sings. In the age of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, pop singers are expected to don edgy attire or perform outrageous stunts on lengthy world tours. Adele, however, generally wears simple black dresses and, in concert, tends to stand somewhat motionless.

“With Katy Perry, Gaga and them, they kind of sing but it’s just computers and stuff backing them up. It’s all very formulaic. Like with Rihanna’s songs—they all sound the same,” says senior Bryan Routt. “But with Adele, it’s more real. It feels legit.”

Adele doesn’t try to astonish her audience or shock anyone with gimmicks or tricks. She doesn’t need to—her voice does the astonishing. She is straightforward and delivers quality music. For the millions who bought her album last year, that is enough.

Adele’s vocal talent and honest, beautiful songs have refocused the music industry. For years, an artist’s image, shock-value and appearance defined their success. However, pop music is changing. Audiences are getting smarter.

We are finally able to see past the smoke and mirrors of gimmicky artists. We are looking beyond the provocative interviews Gaga gives and the scandalous music videos Rihanna creates. We are no longer distracted by the excess. We have come to realize that is it about the music. We want to hear nice songs performed by talented vocalists:  plain and simple. Adele delivers that. Maybe she has a little less sparkle than her fellow female pop artists. But that isn’t what music is about anyway.

“When you’re that good, people quit caring about who you are. I don’t know anything about Adele or her life—just that she sings and she’s good,” explains Routt.

Like Karin and Bryan, I’m proud to be part of this new musical culture that loves singers for their voices. As a matter of fact, Adele is blaring from my speakers as I write this. Her music is real and her voice is beautiful. That’s all I want from my pop singers. According to the charts, the Grammys and the radio, that’s all anybody wants.